Watch this if you're scared of snakes - Andrew Whitworth

譯者: Alexandra Peng 審譯者: Helen Chang

We get it, not everyone loves snakes.

據我們所知，不是每個人都喜愛蛇。

You may not want to encounter one in the wild.

你不會想在戶外遇到蛇。

To each their own!

但人各有所好！

That’s why we’re here, to take you on a world tour

這就是我們做這支影片的理由， 讓你在安全的家裡

of some of nature’s most incredible snakes from the safety of your home—

見識自然界中最不可思議的蛇蛇之旅—

and with your very own intrepid guide.

跟著我們無所畏懼的導遊。

All the snakes we’ll be visiting belong to a group called the vipers.

接下來我們將遇到的所有蛇， 都屬於蝰蛇這個族群。

As of 2021, there are 368 species of viper worldwide.

截至2021年，在世界各地 共有368種蝰蛇。

The name comes from the term viviparity, which means giving birth to live young.

是根據足月胎生這個詞來命名， 也就是直接誕生新生命。

Unlike most snakes, which lay eggs,

不像大多數的蛇是孵蛋的，

most vipers have eggs that hatch inside the mother,

大多數的蝰蛇在母蛇體內孵蛋，

who then gives birth to up to dozens of tiny snakes.

然後生出多達幾十條小蛇。

Not glad you’re safe at home yet?

很慶幸你在家是安全的吧？

Vipers are also often highly venomous,

蝰蛇通常有劇毒，

with two hollow fangs that fold flat to the roofs of their mouths.

就在牠們上顎內折著兩根空心獠牙。

This allows the fangs to be extra long,

這樣能讓獠牙加長。

unfolding into imposing weapons when the viper prepares to strike.

在牠們想要攻擊時能夠展開成雄偉的武器。

So how about we pay them a surprise visit?

不如我們給牠們個驚喜的造訪怎麼樣？

First stop: the southeastern United States,

第一站：美國東南部，

where we can hear the viper before we can see it.

在我們見到蝰蛇之前， 就能聽到牠們的聲音了。

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest of 36 species of rattlesnake.

東部菱紋背響尾蛇 是36種響尾蛇中最大型的。

Rattlesnakes can shake their rattles up to 90 times per second

響尾蛇一秒能搖動響環將近90次，

to warn off predators for hours if needed.

必要時能警告掠食者持續數個小時。

The rattle consists of hollow, interlocked segments made of keratin,

響環是由角蛋白製成的中空部分交錯組成，

the same substance that makes our nails and hair.

與我們的指甲和頭髮是一樣的物質。

When the snake shakes its tail, these segments hit each other,

當蛇搖動尾巴，這些部分互相撞擊，

creating a shockingly loud noise.

發出嚇人的巨響。

Now onto the mountains of western Iran, where a spider crawls across a rock,

現在攀上伊朗西部的山區， 那兒有蜘蛛正在岩石上爬行，

making easy prey for a passing bird— or not.

讓經過的鳥輕鬆獵捕

–或者相反。

The spider-tailed horned viper is perfectly camouflaged, almost invisible,

蛛尾擬角蝰有完美的偽裝，幾乎看不見，

except for its unique bulbous tail-tip with long drooping scales

除了它獨特的球根狀尾尖 和長長下垂的鱗片，

that look like a leggy spider.

看起來像極了長腿蜘蛛。

Spider-tailed vipers are only about 50 centimeters long,

蛛尾擬角蝰僅有50公分長，

so they can lure small birds within striking range

牠們能在攻擊範圍內引誘小型鳥

without compromising their ability to squeeze into narrow rock crevices.

且不影響它們躲入狹窄的岩縫中的能力。

In the rainforests of Latin America lives a viper

在拉丁美洲的雨林中有一種蝰蛇

that couldn’t be more different from the spider-tailed viper—

與蛛尾擬角蝰有著天壤之別–

if you can find it.

若你能找到牠的蹤影。

It’s one of the most elusive snakes in the world:

這是世界上最難以捉摸的蛇類之一：

the bushmaster.

巨蝮。

The bushmaster is a pit viper.

巨蝮是響尾蛇屬。

Between each eye and nostril, it has a heat-sensing pit

在每側眼睛與鼻子中間有溫度感應孔，

with a membrane covered in highly sensitive receptors

是有薄膜覆蓋著的高敏感接收器，

that respond to temperature changes

依據溫度改變去做反應，

as small as one one-thousandth of a degree Celsius.

最小能感應至千分之一攝氏溫度的改變。

These pits gather infrared information that is integrated with visual information

這些孔將融合了視覺的紅外線信息

in the optic tectum.

匯集到視被蓋。

This allows the bushmaster to “see” the heat signature

這讓巨蝮能「看見」

of approaching prey or predators,

掠食者或獵物接近時的熱信號，

helping it decide whether or not to strike and strike more accurately.

幫助牠決定是否要攻擊，而且能更準確。

This comes in handy for guarding a nest—

這對於保衛巢穴很方便—

unlike most other vipers, the bushmaster lays eggs

不像大多蝰蛇，巨蝮是卵生，

in hollowed out tree buttresses or burrows made by other animals.

產在其他動物挖空的樹墩或洞穴中。

It must be large enough to defend its nest—

必須足夠大去保衛牠的巢—

in fact, the bushmaster is the largest viper in the world,

事實上，巨蝮是世界上最大的蝰蛇，

reaching lengths of over 11 feet, with huge fangs and deadly venom.

長度可達11英尺， 有著巨大的獠牙及致命毒液。

Meanwhile, in the forests of sub-Saharan Africa,

同時，在非洲撒哈拉以南的雨林，

there’s a shorter, chunkier viper that’s even more venomous than the bushmaster.

有種比巨蝮更短、更粗，甚至更毒的蝰蛇。

The African Gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any snake—

非洲加彭噝蝰有著蛇類裡最長的獠牙—

yes, all 3,879 snake species, not just vipers—

沒錯，是3879種蛇類，不單單只是蝰蛇—

and can deliver 1,000 milligrams of venom in a single bite—

咬一次能產生1000毫克的毒液，

enough to kill ten adult humans.

足夠殺死十個成年人。

Although deadly, Gaboon vipers have a reputation

雖然很致命，但加彭噝蝰可是出了名的

for being slow-moving and placid creatures.

慢吞吞且溫和的生物。

When they do strike, they hold onto their rodent prey while the venom takes effect,

在發動攻擊時，牠們會咬住囓齒動物 並等待毒液發揮作用，

then quickly swallow it down.

然後快速地吞下肚。

At this point, you may be worrying about our guide— but never fear,

這時可能會有點擔心我們的導遊—別怕，

rodents like our little desert kangaroo rat have their own skills

像沙漠更格盧鼠的齧齒動物有自己的技能

to evade the serpent’s tooth.

能逃過蛇的魔爪。

They stomp their feet at rattlesnakes, kick sand towards them,

牠們對著響尾蛇跺腳，朝牠們踢沙子，

and evade their strikes with acrobatic leaps and powerful kicks—

用雜技般的跳躍及有利的踢擊 來躲過蛇的攻擊—

helping them live to guide another snake tour.

幫助牠們存活，並導覽另一個蛇蛇旅遊。